History tells us that much of the social good in the UK has come from dedicated Christians making life better for the community because they follow Christ’s teaching to love their neighbour, and the Church has been a focus for teaching about the purpose of life and where we fit into God’s plan for mankind. As the nation becomes more ‘godless’ many of the evil things we see around us become more common.
Life is very hard for many. The cost-of-living crisis is hitting us all with rising energy prices and inflation. Difficulty to get health care, misinformation and access to very unpleasant content on the internet or through social media is having a detrimental effect on people. St. Michael’s tries to be a ‘beacon of hope’, where the true message from our Maker is taught and the Church family encourage and support each other. We try to make sure our church is 'open' so that anybody passing by can drop in to just sit in peace or pray and talk with God.
There are many tasks that are undertaken by volunteers to support the ministry we provide. However, we could use a few more. It does not need to be onerous, and even occasional support is very welcome – just join our list of helpers and we’ll share whatever needs to be done. For example, we have a WhatsApp group for helping out at the youth groups. We just ask if anyone is available to help when there is a need or a specific gap. If it fits your time availability you can come along and have a great time helping our young people to have fun in a safe environment.
There are also occasional simple things like providing tea, coffee and biscuits or cake, cleaning, moving chairs and tables when there are events on, or changing light bulbs. Even specific tasks, like agreeing to be responsible for a notice board, or booking and invoicing building use, or helping at friendship plus (once weekly baby and toddler group) or the youth groups, take very little actual time – but can make a big difference in what the church can offer and the positive impact we can make. If you have a special skill, like flower arranging, or want to join the churchyard tidy up group that meets once a month, that would also help. Most tasks only take a half hour or so a week (and not every week) and the more that church members and attendees contribute, the more we get to know each other and enjoy each other’s company. It also takes the burden off those in the church that already do a lot.
There are many other ways to get involved with the church – e.g. with music, bible study groups, Sunday school, Make Lunch, and so on. You can see reference to these in other pages of the Website. If you have a question or want to be involved, just write to:
churchwarden@stmichaelsgalleywood.org.uk or sexton@stmichaelsgalleywood.org.uk